The Sixteen Kingdoms of the Eastern Jin Dynasty: The Competition in the Central Plains

"yes! Although Mr. Tao Liao did not bring good news to the Jin Dynasty emperor, he must have been a little melancholy on the way back. However, Mr. Tao's trip brought us rich Central Plains culture, which is much more important than gold and silver treasures, appointments, rewards, and carts of food!"Murong Xuan said:"Hurry up and get these books. If you have time, find a few carpenters and bamboo craftsmen to go to the nearby bamboo forest to cut some bamboo and come back to make blank bamboo slips. Let the children in the primary school copy the bamboo slips carefully according to the bamboo slips sent by Murong Shan. The copied bamboo slips can be used by children in middle schools and elementary schools."

"The Great Chanyu was very considerate, and I can't even match him!"Pei Yi said.

Murong Xuan paused for a moment and then said:"Also, Mr. Pei and Mr. Liu, ask your people to contact some masons who can carve inkstones, and ask the masons to rush to make 1,100 inkstones. In addition, the masons were asked to cut 1,100 stone slabs to find materials for making slate pens. Some skilled craftsmen were also invited to go to the lake to cut some reeds and make them into brush holders, and quickly made 1,100 brushes. Don’t throw away all goat, wild wolf, etc. hair in the future, especially wild wolf hair, which is a good material for making brush tips."

"Yes!"Pei Yi and Liu Zan bowed and saluted. Murong Xin asked again:"You people from the Central Plains and the North are all erudite and knowledgeable celebrities. You should also have some works of Sinology and Confucianism at home, right?!"

"What Da Shanyu said is true. In our hometown, there are indeed many collections of copied books. However, due to the chaos of the war, we traveled hundreds or even thousands of miles to the northeast to join the Great Chanyu, so we didn’t even bother to bring many books with us!"Pei Yi said with a disappointed look on his face. Seeing what Pei Yi said, Liu Zan and other northerners also nodded.

Seeing Murong Xi a little disappointed, Liu Zan said:"Although I didn't bring many here, there are always some bamboo slips around me.. When we have time, we can take it to the school and let the gentlemen copy it. Murong Xin then turned from worry to joy. Pei Yi asked,"Chanyu, there has never been such a good school in the north since ancient times." When will young gentlemen be allowed to enter the classroom and start teaching?"

"Let’s set it on the fifth day of May!"Murong Xuan said:"Except for the children of the Murong family, all the children of the civil and military ministers in Jicheng are students of our Dongxiang Academy. I estimate that there should be no less than a thousand people among all the noble children, including the descendants of civil and military ministers."

"The children at home are really lucky to be able to study in such a beautiful school. We can only work conscientiously and fulfill our responsibilities for Da Chanyu!"Liu Zan said that the fifth day of the fifth lunar month was the day when Murong's disciples came to Murong University to learn from their teachers. Murong Xin's ten sons, headed by his legitimate son Murong Hui, dressed in neat Xianbei clothes, came to the school to pay homage to the gentlemen. Pei Yi, Liu Zan, Zhu Zuoche, Hu Wuyi, and Kong Zuan were already waiting with Murong Xin in the open space in front of the school. The school was paved with square tiles and was very neat, tidy and clean. It was early to see my father and the five gentlemen. Arriving at the school, Murong Huang and his brothers hurriedly took a few steps forward, then knelt down and saluted:"I have met my father, and I have met you gentlemen. Starting today, gentlemen, please preach, teach, and answer questions!"

Pei Yi, Liu Zan and others quickly helped Murong Huang and others up. Liu Zan said:"Your Majesty, please don't be polite! Preaching, teaching, and solving doubts are our responsibilities!"

While they were talking, more than 200 grown-up children of Murong from far away families, as well as some children of ministers and generals from the Central Plains, also came to the school to pay homage to Murong Xuan and the gentlemen. Murong Xuan looked at his sons and then at them. Looking at these Murong children, as well as the children of ministers and generals, he said:"Gentlemen, we, the children of the Murong family, will leave it to you, the great Confucians. Now let's go to the large school at the back and listen to Mr. Liu's first lesson! Those underage Murong children will come to school again in a few days."

After passing two doorways, people arrived one after another at the easternmost large room in the third row behind Dongxiang Academy. This third and last row of houses consists of nine houses. The easternmost house is the largest, as Murong This is a place where the disciples attend classes and study. The other rooms are for the disciples of Murong from afar, as well as the rooms for Han disciples. The remaining rooms are used by the gentlemen to store school items, store bamboo slips in the bookstore, or arrange for other purposes.

Disciples of Murong leave Entering this spacious and bright room, newly purchased tables and stools have already been placed inside. Because it is the first class, the children of Murong from far away, the children of Han ministers and generals, all came to this large room. On each table, there are calligraphy brushes , inkstones, and blank bamboo slips have been placed. Seeing these new things, the students kept playing with their hands. Some laughed and laughed, and some picked them up and put them down, but they did not dare to sit down. Liu Zan said to Murong Xian said:"Great Chanyu, please take your seats, gentlemen and disciples!"

With Liu Zan's words, Murong Huang and others dared to sit down slowly facing east, and the room gradually became quiet. On the east wall hung a rectangular stone slab seven feet square and edged with pine wood..Under the slate is a teaching platform made of stones, one foot high. There is a table on the teaching platform. On the table are brushes and inkstones, ink blocks and some bamboo slips. There are also a few stone pens and a piece of felt.. Murong Xian and Liu Zan came to the teaching platform and were very happy to see that the disciples were all quiet and well-behaved. Murong Xian said:"Today, the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, is the death anniversary of the Chinese sage Qu Yuan. Starting from today, I hope that the sound of Lang Lang’s reading can often be heard in our Murong University Hall!"

Murong Huang stood up and said:"Father, please rest assured, please gentlemen, please rest assured, we must listen carefully to the gentlemen's lectures and provide a good leader for the younger brothers below!"

"Respect sir, read carefully! Murong's disciples said in unison.

Murong Xuan's sons all sat down, as did the other Murong disciples and the minister's disciples. Murong Xuan bowed his hands to Liu Zan and then got down from the teaching platform. Liu Zan returned the salute and got ready. Teaching. Seeing that Murong Xin and other ministers who came with him were still standing, Liu Zan said:"Please take a seat with the Great Chanyu and other adults! I'm going to teach the first lesson to the disciples. Let's do it standing up! Teaching while seated will not be effective."

Murong Xuan and others sat down in the seats in front. The Seven Classics sent by Murong Huang were placed on the table in front of Liu Zan. Liu Zan pointed to these books and said:"These books have collected hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The Confucian writings written by thousand-year-old saints, sages, and wise men are the essence and core of Confucianism. When I have time, I and other gentlemen will copy these books. Please invite the prince and other princes, who can write well in calligraphy, to copy the bamboo slips. In this way, in the future, no matter whether it is a large school, a middle school, or a small school, everyone can have a set of books. I will also use other opportunities, such as business trips to the Central Plains to do business, or other ways to look for books on the Spring and Autumn Period, the Warring States Period, the Qin and Han Dynasties, and the previous dynasties. With the invention of paper, some of these books have been copied by later generations and turned into thread-bound books. However, because the quality of Caihou paper is not very good, some thread-bound books will fall into pieces after being stored for a year and a half. Therefore, until now, most of the writings of sages are still written on bamboo slips. In the future, no matter if you see valuable books in the north or other places in the Central Plains, whether they are bamboo slips or thread-bound books, whether they are Confucian books, military books, agricultural books, or medical books, remember to bring them back. Gold, silver, and treasure are all external things. Only by learning the knowledge in your own mind, others cannot steal it even if they want to!"